Ribbon Needle Loom for Manufacturing a Strip, in Particular a Label Strip, Having a Woven-In Conductive Thread, in Particular Antenna Thread

ABSTRACT

In order to make it possible to weave in a conductive thread, in particular an antenna thread, in a very wide variety of ways in a ribbon needle loom for manufacturing a strip, in particular a label strip, having a shedding apparatus for forming a shed ( 24 ) from warp threads ( 8 ), a weft insertion needle ( 26 ) for inserting weft thread loops, a reed ( 30 ) and having a feed apparatus ( 34 ) for a thread which has a blade ( 34 ) which dips into the shed ( 24 ) between warp threads ( 8 ) as far as under the insertion path of the weft insertion needle ( 26 ), it is proposed that the blade is arranged on a shaft ( 38 ) which is oriented transversely with respect to the warp direction. The shaft is connected to a first drive apparatus ( 40   a ) for performing a pivoting movement of the shaft. As a result of the pivoting, the blade ( 34 ) dips into and out of the shed ( 24 ). Furthermore, the shaft is connected to a second drive apparatus ( 44   a ) for movement in the axial direction. As a result, the blade ( 34 ) can be moved over the width of the strip ( 2 ).

This application claims priority of PCT application PCT/CH2005/000772 having a priority date of Dec. 23, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a ribbon needle loom for manufacturing a strip, in particular a label strip, having a woven-in conductive thread, in particular antenna thread.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A ribbon needle loom of the type initially mentioned is known from CH 490 581. There, the fancy threads are arranged by means of a blade during the weaving of a strip. How the blade is to be actuated cannot be gathered from the publication. There are also no suggestions to be found that the ribbon needle loom could be suitable for weaving in a conductive thread, in particular an antenna thread.

WO 2005/071605 describes a textile material with an antenna and with an RF transponder. The textile material can be manufactured by means of a weaving technique. However, more details of this cannot be gathered from the publication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to specify a ribbon needle loom which is suitable for manufacturing a strip, in particular a label strip, having a woven-in conductive thread, in particular antenna thread.

By the arrangement of a first drive device for inserting and withdrawing the blade in the shed and with a second drive device for moving the blade over the width of the strip, a ribbon needle loom is made available which makes it possible to weave in a conductor thread, in particular an antenna thread. In this case, the blade is arranged on a shaft which is oriented transversely with respect to the warp direction and which is suitable by means of the first drive device for executing a pivoting movement and by means of the second drive device for executing a traveling movement in the axial direction of the shaft.

By means of the needle loom according to the present invention, the conductive thread can be woven in in many different ways. In the case of zigzag weaving in, the conductive thread can be introduced under the weft thread during each weft or be led freely over the warp threads between the ends of the zigzag lay and come under the weft thread at the ends of the zigzag movement only. However, any intermediate combination is also possible. On the other hand, a meander-like lay is possible, in which the conductive thread is alternately led transversely over the entire weaving width during a single weft and is then tucked in each case between the same warp threads for a larger number of wefts. Any desired asymmetric lays of the conductive thread are also possible.

It is particularly advantageous if the first and the second drive device are designed as a combined pivoting/linear motor.

The second drive device may be configured as a linear motor connected to the shaft. A particularly simple solution for the configuration of the first drive device is where the drive device cooperates with a push rod which is connected to the shaft via a mechanism, preferably a lever mechanism. In this case, the first drive device may have a linear motor cooperating with the push rod.

A particularly preferred embodiment is where the feed device is coupled to a return device connected to a main drive of the ribbon needle loom, in order, after each weft insertion, to withdraw the blade, if appropriate forcibly, out of the weaving region, should the first drive device for pivoting the blade into and out of the shed fail. For this purpose, the return device may have an eccentric drive which is connected to the main drive and is connected to an oscillating lever with cooperates with a stop on the push rod in such a way that, after each weft insertion and before the reed is beaten up at the cloth edge, the push rod can be moved back in each case into the basic position outside the range of action of the reed.

To avoid damage to the ribbon fabric and/or to the ribbon needle loom, the blade may be provided with a predetermined breaking point which lies outside the weaving region and which is activated in the event of a malfunction.

It is particularly advantageous if the first and the second drive device are connected to an electronic control device for the pattern control of the ribbon needle loom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the ribbon needle loom are described in more detail below with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a ribbon fabric with a conductive thread and with a transponder;

FIG. 2 shows a first ribbon needle loom with a combined first and second drive device in a diagrammatic illustration;

FIG. 3 shows a further ribbon needle loom with separate first and second drive devices in a diagrammatic illustration;

FIG. 4 shows the ribbon needle loom of FIG. 3 with a return device in a diagrammatic view, with the blade inserted; and

FIG. 5 shows the ribbon needle loom according to FIG. 4, with the blade withdrawn.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a ribbon fabric 2 in which weft thread loops 6 are inserted from an insertion side 4 between warp threads 8. On the side 10 lying opposite the insertion side 4, the weft thread loops 6 are mutually tied off by means of stitches 12 indicated diagrammatically as a line. A conductive thread 14 runs, zigzag-shaped, on the topside of the ribbon fabric 2 and is tied in at the turning points 16 in each case by means of a weft thread loop 6. The conductive thread 14 serves as an antenna and is interrupted at 18 before the application of a transponder chip 20 which is connected to the two ends of the conductive thread. Such a connection may be implemented, for example, by welding, soldering, bonding with an electrically conductive adhesive, crimping of clamping.

FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically a ribbon needle loom 22 which is suitable for manufacturing a ribbon fabric 2 of FIG. 1 with a conductive thread 14, but without a transponder chip 20. Warp threads 8 are opened by means of a shedding device, not illustrated in more detail, into a shed 24, into which a weft thread loop 6 is inserted into the shed 24 by means of the weft insertion needle 26. On the side 10 lying opposite the insertion side 4, the weft thread loop 6 is tied off in a known way by means of a knitting needle 28. The inserted weft thread loop 6 is beaten up at the beating-up edge 32 by means of a reed 30.

A blade 34 serves for inserting the conductive thread 14 and at the front end has a thread eye 36 through which the conductive thread 14 is led. The blade 34 is fastened to a shaft 38 which by means of a first drive device 40 executes a pivoting movement 42 in order to insert the blade 34 between the warp threads 8 into the shed 24, specifically to an extent such that the loop of the conductive thread 14 comes under the insertion path of the weft insertion needle 26. The conductive thread is thereby tied in in the desired position and thus secured.

After the withdrawal of the blade 34 into the basic position G indicated by dashes, the blade 34 can be moved by means of a second drive device 44 in a linear movement 48 along the shaft 38 over the width of the ribbon fabric 2, in order to introduce the blade 34 in another desired position of the ribbon fabric 2 between the warp threads 8 into the shed 24 and fasten it. In the present example, the first and the second drive device 40, 44 are designed as a combined linear and pivoting motor 50. The motor is connected to an electronic control device 52 which serves for the pattern control of the needle loom 22 and consequently also of the blade 34.

FIG. 3 shows a ribbon needle loom 22 a which is designed in a similar way to the ribbon needle loom 22 in FIG. 2, although the first drive device 40 a for the pivoting movement 42 and the second drive device 44 a for the linear movement 48 are formed separately. For this purpose, the first drive device 40 a contains a linear motor 54 actuating a push rod 56 which is connected to the shaft 38 via a lever 58.

FIG. 4 shows a ribbon needle loom 22 b which is a development of the ribbon needle loom 22 a of FIG. 3. This ribbon needle loom contains a forced-return device 60 for returning the blade 34 to its basic position G indicated by dashes and dots, should the first drive device 40 a fail and the blade 34 can no longer leave the weaving region. The return device 60 contains an eccentric drive 62 which is preferably connected in a way not illustrated in any more detail to the main drive shaft of the ribbon needle loom 22 b and which operates at the same frequency as the weft insertion needle 26. The eccentric drive 62 is connected via a lever mechanism 64 to a rocker 66 which is mounted pivotably at one end on a pin 68. The other end of the rocker 66 cooperates with a stop 70 which is arranged fixedly on the push rod 56. The return device 60 is used, should the first drive device 40 a not have moved the push rod 56 into the basic position, and then the stop 70 is moved by means of the rocker 66 and the eccentric drive 62 into the basic position, illustrated by dashes, in which the blade 34 comes free of the weaving region of the ribbon needle loom, so that the reed 30 can, undisturbed, beat up the inserted weft thread loop at the beating-up edge 32.

To safeguard the ribbon needle loom, on the one hand, and the ribbon fabric, on the other hand, instead of the return device 60, the blade 34 may be provided with a predetermined breaking point 72 which lies outside the weaving region. This predetermined breaking point may be used, on the one hand, when the second drive device 44 a executes a linear movement 48 transversely with respect to the ribbon fabric 22, even before the blade 34 has left the shed 24. On the other hand, the predetermined breaking point 70 may be used when the reed 30 executes the beating up of the weft thread loop 6 even before the blade 34 has returned into the basic position G.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

-   2 Ribbon fabric -   4 Insertion side -   6 Weft thread loop -   8 Warp thread -   10 Side -   12 Stitch -   14 Conductive thread -   16 Turning point -   18 Interruption -   20 Transponder chip -   22 Ribbon needle loom -   22 a Ribbon needle loom -   22 b Ribbon needle loom -   24 Shed -   26 Weft insertion needle -   28 Knitting needle -   30 Reed -   32 Beating-up edge -   34 Blade -   36 Thread eye -   38 Shaft -   40 First drive device -   40 a First drive device -   42 Pivoting movement -   44 Second drive device -   44 a Second drive device -   48 Linear movement -   50 Linear/pivoting motor -   52 Control device -   54 Linear motor -   56 Push rod -   58 Lever -   60 Return device -   62 Eccentric drive -   64 Lever mechanism -   66 Rocker -   68 Pin -   70 Stop -   72 Predetermined breaking point 

1. A ribbon needle loom for manufacturing a strip, in particular a label strip, having a woven-in conductive thread, in particular antenna thread, with a shedding device forming a shed from warp threads, with a weft insertion needle for the insertion of weft thread loops, with a reed for beating up inserted weft thread loops and with a feed device for a thread, which has a blade penetrating between warp threads into the shed to below the insertion path of the weft insertion needle and having a thread guide eye for the thread, characterized in that the blade is arranged on a shaft which is oriented transversely with respect to the warp direction and which is connected to a first drive device for executing a pivoting movement of the shaft, the blade penetrating into and emerging from the shed as a result of the pivoting, and, furthermore, the shaft being connected to a second drive device for the travel of the shaft in its axial direction, with the result that the blade can be moved over the entire width of the strip.
 2. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first drive device and the second drive device are designed as a combined linear and pivoting motor.
 3. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the second drive device is designed as a linear motor connected to the shaft.
 4. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the first drive device has a push rod which is connected to the shaft via a lever mechanism.
 5. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the first drive device has a linear motor interacting with the push rod.
 6. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the feed device is coupled to a return device connected to a main drive of the ribbon needle loom, in order, after each weft insertion, to withdraw the blade, if appropriate forcibly, out of the weaving region.
 7. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the return device has an eccentric drive which is connected to the main drive and is connected to an oscillating lever which cooperates with a stop on the push rod in such a way that, after each weft insertion and before the reed is beaten up at the cloth edge, the push rod can be moved back into the basic position outside the range of action of the reed.
 8. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the blade is provided with a predetermined breaking point which lies outside the weaving region and which is activated in the event of a malfunction.
 9. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first and the second drive device are connected to an electronic control device for the pattern control of the ribbon needle loom.
 10. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the feed device is coupled to a return device connected to a main drive of the ribbon needle loom, in order, after each weft insertion, to withdraw the blade, if appropriate forcibly, out of the weaving region.
 11. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the feed device is coupled to a return device connected to a main drive of the ribbon needle loom, in order, after each weft insertion, to withdraw the blade, if appropriate forcibly, out of the weaving region.
 12. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the feed device is coupled to a return device connected to a main drive of the ribbon needle loom, in order, after each weft insertion, to withdraw the blade, if appropriate forcibly, out of the weaving region.
 13. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the feed device is coupled to a return device connected to a main drive of the ribbon needle loom, in order, after each weft insertion, to withdraw the blade, if appropriate forcibly, out of the weaving region.
 14. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the first and the second drive device are connected to an electronic control device for the pattern control of the ribbon needle loom.
 15. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the first and the second drive device are connected to an electronic control device for the pattern control of the ribbon needle loom.
 16. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the first and the second drive device are connected to an electronic control device for the pattern control of the ribbon needle loom.
 17. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the first and the second drive device are connected to an electronic control device for the pattern control of the ribbon needle loom.
 18. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the first and the second drive device are connected to an electronic control device for the pattern control of the ribbon needle loom.
 19. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the first and the second drive device are connected to an electronic control device for the pattern control of the ribbon needle loom.
 20. The ribbon needle loom as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the first and the second drive device are connected to an electronic control device for the pattern control of the ribbon needle loom. 